Firefighters practice life-saving techniques on retirement development site

A team of firefighters visited Churchill Retirement Living’s new Shaftesbury development on Coppice Street to carry out a number of training exercises using the site’s 21.7 metre crane.

Churchill Retirement Living is currently building 39 one and two bedroom apartments for the over 60s and lent the site to the rescue service for the day to carry out an impressive crane rescue simulation.

Matt Scott, station commander at Shaftesbury Fire Station, said: “This weekend crews from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service were given a rare opportunity to train in the skies above Shaftesbury on a tower crane operating on the Churchill Retirement Living development site.

“Local crews from Shaftesbury Fire Station were able to become familiar with the crane and build their experience and confidence when working on a tall structure, while the Technical Rescue Team from Poole Fire Station were able to practise complex rescue and recovery methods from the top of the crane.

"Both teams of Firefighters found the opportunity very beneficial and expressed their gratitude to Churchill Retirement Living.”

Brady Morris, watch manager for the Technical Rescue team, said: “Man-made structures such as this crane present particularly technical challenges for our team and with the support of organisations like Churchill to help us train we are able to provide a better service to our community.”

Kevin Sharp, pre-commencement contracts manager at Churchill Retirement Living, added: “Churchill Retirement Living is always happy to aid the emergency services training when we are working at a new site.

"Matt and his team trained on the site last summer so it was great to have them back again for more training. We are always happy to help the emergency services and assist in whatever way we can to enable them to carry on with the fantastic work that they do.”